Apple refused Sony's offer to show The Interview on iTunes

Sony asked for White House’s help in getting Apple on board, but iTunes release was denied

Seth Rogen in cancelled Sony Pictures comedy The Interview (Sony Pictures)

Apple showed no interest in Sony’s offer of allowing it to show The Interview on iTunes, according to reports.

After the North Korea-baiting film was cancelled in response to apparent threats of violence at showings, a number of companies offered to show the film through online and offline channels. But Sony asked to talk to Apple about putting it on iTunes — which the company showed no interest in, according to the New York Times.

Sony asked for the White House’s help in lining up Apple as its sole “technology partner”, according to the paper. But the company wasn’t interested, at least in putting out the film on a short timetable, according to the report.

The Interview’s release was cancelled in the wake of apparent threats to cinemas that showed the film, which a message seeming to be from hackers said would be akin to 9/11. But Sony said yesterday that it would in fact show it in some cinemas, and that it was looking to a video on-demand release.